use strict; use warnings; use Data::Dump; { my %state; sub till { my @phases=@_; my ($file,$line)= (caller)[1..2]; my $state = \$state{$file,$line}; $$state //= 0; $phases[1+$$state]->($_); if ($phases[$$state]) { $$state += 2; $$state %= @phases; } } } sub doStage1 { print "1: ",shift } sub doStage2 { print "2: ",shift } sub doStage3 { print "3: ",shift } sub doOtherProcessing { print "*: ",shift } while (){ till ( - /for/ => \&doOtherProcessing, - /their/ => \&doStage1, - /fruit/ => \&doStage2, - /lazy/ => \&doStage3, ); } __DATA__ now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party. Time flies like an arrow fruit flies like a banana. The quick red fox jumps over the lazy brown dog. Etaoinshrdlu. #### *: now is the time *: for all good men to 1: come to the aid of 1: their party. 2: Time flies like an arrow 2: fruit flies like a banana. 3: The quick red fox 3: jumps over the lazy *: brown dog. *: Etaoinshrdlu.